Headlines

  • Flyers Trade Ivan Fedotov To Blue Jackets
  • Blackhawks Sign Spencer Knight To Three-Year Extension
  • Kings’ Corey Perry Undergoes Knee Surgery
  • 2025 NHL Training Camp Rosters
  • Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Marc-Andre Fleury To PTO
  • Carter Hart, Others Found Not Guilty In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Steven Stamkos Returns To Lightning Lineup For Game Three Of Stanley Cup Final

September 23, 2020 at 7:03 pm CDT | by Zach Leach 1 Comment

After 211 days, Steven Stamkos is back. The Tampa Bay Lightning captain is officially in the lineup for Game Three of the Stanley Cup Final on Wednesday night, making his first appearance since February 25. After continually reiterating that Stamkos’ timeline to return was indefinite, head coach Jon Cooper and his team suddenly have their superstar back with a chance to take a 2-1 series lead over the Dallas Stars.

Stamkos makes his 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs debut nearly two months after the postseason began, a feat only made possible by his team’s ability to reach the Cup Final. Stamkos suffered a core injury in late February that required surgery. While he was initially given a six-to-eight week timeline, core surgery rehab often exceeds expectations. Yet, many still hoped that Stamkos would be ready for the beginning of the postseason. Cooper answered questions about Stamkos’ status throughout the playoffs, speaking about his hard work and dedication, but always stopped short of stating any expectation for when he might return. Only in the last week or so with Stamkos skating and occasionally participating in practice, did it finally seem like a Stamkos return was less puffery and more possibility. He finally makes his return on Wednesday follow not six-to-eight, but 30 weeks after his initial injury.

While Stamkos’ return to the lineup alone will be a boost for the team’s energy and morale, expectations of his actual contribution should remain low. Stamkos will likely show the same rust as others did when first entering the bubble, if not worse. He also took line rushes prior to the game with Lightning fourth-liners Cedric Paquette and Patrick Marron, indicating that he exposure may be limited in his debut. On top of all that, it worth remembering that Stamkos was a key contributor to Tampa’s first-round collapse last year, posting a -8 in a four-game sweep against the Columbus Blue Jackets, and that his career points per game fall well below his career pace in the regular season. Stamkos’ return is inspiring and makes for a good story, but the Bolts are not going to run away with the Stanley Cup now that the captain has returned. A hard-fought series with the Stars still awaits.

 

Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Tampa Bay Lightning Steven Stamkos

Red Wings Loan Michael Rasmussen To Austria
Main
Overseas Notes: Lagesson, Sproul, Martinsen, Koppanen
View Comments (1)

Comments

  1. MacJablonski--NotVegasLegend

    5 years ago

    Good to see Stammer back…bad to see Stammer not stay back…hope that changes again on Friday.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Flyers Trade Ivan Fedotov To Blue Jackets

    Blackhawks Sign Spencer Knight To Three-Year Extension

    Kings’ Corey Perry Undergoes Knee Surgery

    2025 NHL Training Camp Rosters

    Pittsburgh Penguins Sign Marc-Andre Fleury To PTO

    Carter Hart, Others Found Not Guilty In Hockey Canada Sexual Assault Trial

    Jets’ Adam Lowry Continues To Recover From Hip Surgery

    Blues Sign Justin Carbonneau, Nikita Susuev

    Sharks Sign No. 2 Overall Pick Michael Misa

    Kirill Kaprizov’s Camp Rejects Eight-Year, $16MM AAV Offer

    Recent

    Mitch Love Placed On Leave

    2025 Summer Synopsis Series

    Transactions Notes: Poolman, Allison, Malmquist

    Flyers Trade Ivan Fedotov To Blue Jackets

    Injury Notes: Power, Molendyk, Walton

    Snapshots: Tuch, Fleming, Walman

    Summer Synopsis: Philadelphia Flyers

    Former NHLPA Executive Director Bob Goodenow Passes Away At Age 72

    Salary Cap Deep Dive: St. Louis Blues

    East Notes: Chinakhov, Peeke, Bear

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • 2025’s Top 50 Unrestricted Free Agents
    • Rasmus Andersson Rumors
    • Erik Karlsson Rumors
    • Rickard Rakell Rumors
    • Bryan Rust Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Offseason Trade Tracker
    • PTO Tracker 2025
    • Summer Synopsis Series 2025
    • Training Camp Rosters 2025
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls

     

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    Do not Sell or Share My Personal Information

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version